FEATURED SENIOR ATHLETE: Keaton Burress, North Putnam

Keaton is a senior at North Putnam and participates in two sports, volleyball and swimming.

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Banner Graphic: How important are sports to you, and what have you learned from them?

Keaton Burress: “Sports are very important to me. They’ve been a huge part of my life. They’ve pushed me to be a better person on and off the field. They’ve taught me a lot of responsibilities, how to be a leader and how to control my attitude towards my teammates.”

BG: Talk about each of your sports.

KB: “I’ve been involved with soccer for the past four years, having been coached by Alisson Everman the past three years and my freshman year by Jim Hilton. I’ll be doing swimming for four years this year, having been coached by Julie Ann Elmore the past three years and Wes Richardson this year. I’m looking forward to it.”

BG: What’s the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you in sports?

KB: “Last year, during the game against Owen Valley, we were defending a corner kick. The ball came straight to me but I didn’t have my stomach tightened and the ball knocked the wind out of me. I was down for a bit and tried to shake it off.”

BG: What does your game day routine look like?

KB: “Usually, all my teammates and I gather in the cafeteria to eat dinner. I’m one that likes to get my teammates hyped up and ready for the game, so I’m one of the more energetic ones who is ready to play the game. After we eat, we head to the locker room; I grab the speaker from coach and play music to get everyone hyped up. We go out to the field, do our warmups and get ready to play.”

BG: Do you have any favorite college/pro sports teams or athletes you follow?

KB: “I grew up in a family of Notre Dame fans, so I like to watch them. One of the players I like is Jake Fromm, a backup quarterback for the Giants. I like watching Georgia’s football team.”

BG: What else do you do at school besides things involving sports?

KB: “I’m involved in Pep Club, FCA, NHS and a class called Peer Tutoring, where we help kids that have a learning disability and things like that.”

BG: What do you like to do outside of school and sports?

KB: “I like to hang out with friends and family. During the summer, I like to go out on the boat, doing tubing, skiing and things like that.”

BG: What are your favorites in movies, TV and music?

KB: “My favorite movie is either ‘Remember the Titans’ or ‘The Blindside.’ My favorite TV shows are ‘Friends’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ I grew up listening to all sorts of genres of music so if you play it, I probably know it. For game days, I play pop music.”

BG: Are you a person that wants to watch TV shows and movies or stream something from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok etc.?

KB: “I’d probably turn on the TV and a movie but I’d get distracted and pull up TikTok for an hour or so.”

BG: What is something you have never done before that you would like to do someday?

KB: “I’d want to get in a car with a group of friends without GPS or a map and just go wherever the road takes us, with no destination.”

BG: Speaking of such things, what is your biggest fear?

KB: “Losing a loved one. Family is pretty much everything to me and I’d hate to lose someone I love.”

BG: You’ve been placed in charge of making dinner. What’s on the menu?

KB: “Probably some steak, green beans and cut up potatoes.”

BG: Do you have any pets?

KB: “I have a lizard named Spike and she’s 15.”

BG: If your house were on fire, all living things were already out and you have your keys, cell phone, wallet/purse etc., what is one thing you would go back and get?

KB: “I’m not super picky but I like to sleep so I’d get my pillow.”

BG: If you were to describe your personality in one word, what would that word be and why?

KB: “Considerate. I’m a considerate person on and off the field. I care about my teammates’ mental health and athletic ability. I try to push them to be the best they can on and off the field. As a captain, I want to be a role model they can look up to and know they have me to be able to push them to be a better person.”

BG: What has been your favorite place to visit?

KB: “I’d say Paris. We saw a lot of cool buildings like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. It was a cool experience because not a lot of people get to do that.”

BG: What was your favorite school field trip?

KB: “Probably the solar eclipse trip to Illinois we did in middle school.”

BG: How important is support from your family and classmates to your success?

KB: “Support is a huge thing to me and I think to everyone. Whenever you’re playing and you hear your family and classmates cheering for you, it makes you feel good. They’re always there, no matter the score, winning or losing, and they’re always there for me, supporting me throughout my high school career in sports.”

BG: Describe your overall school experience both academically and athletically.

KB: “North Putnam has provided me with really good academic and athletic opportunities. All the teachers and staff really push you to be your best in and out of the classroom and to be the best person you can be.”

BG: If your school was to offer a class it currently doesn’t, what would you want to see taught?

KB: “Some kind of sports class, something where we talk or debate about games.”

BG: What are your plans for after high school, and what career are you headed toward?

KB: “I plan on attending college though I haven’t decided where yet. I’m leaning towards something that deals with kids as I enjoy being around kids. I’ve grown up being around my dad’s class, where he teaches kids with special needs, and I enjoy being in that area, working with those kids.”

BG: Is it difficult to keep up with your school work being an athlete?

KB: “I’d say at times it can be but being a senior now, looking back, you just have to learn how to have time management, know that school comes before sports and if you really have to get work done, I’m sure coaches would be fine missing a practice because student comes before athlete.”

BG: Which particular classes and teachers have helped you the most in high school?

KB: “Mr. Fouts helped me a lot. He really made me enjoy math and taught it to me well. He was there for me in and out of school. Mr. Brothers helped too, helping me become a better athlete in the weight room and has been there in and out of school as well.”

BG: After college, if you had your choice, would you want to live in the mountains, on the beach or in the neighborhood?

KB: “I’m more of a beach person. I like to be tan all the time, be in the sun and in the water.”

BG: Do you think high school has gone fast, and are you going to miss it?

KB: “High school has flown by. I can remember as a freshman all the seniors saying it was flying and I didn’t believe them. Now that I’m a senior, it’s crazy how fast it’s gone. I will miss high school, the sports, Friday night lights, driving around after games and hanging out with friends. I’ll miss that.”